1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a body structure of a fuel cell vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a body structure of a fuel cell vehicle, which is capable of protecting a fuel feed pipe that connects a fuel cell to a fuel tank which stores fuel for the fuel cell.
2. Description of Related Art
A fuel cell vehicle in which hydrogen, as a fuel gas, and oxygen, as an oxidizing agent, are supplied to generate power, and which uses the power to drive a motor, is known as a type of automobile.
In such a fuel cell vehicle, hydrogen which acts as a fuel gas is filled in a fuel tank and is supplied to a fuel cell together with oxygen which is extracted from the air. Accordingly, it is necessary to connect the fuel tank for storing the hydrogen gas to the fuel cell by using a fuel feed pipe.
Although sufficient safety against collisions is provided for the above-mentioned fuel cell and the fuel tank, it is also necessary to provide the same degree of safety for the fuel feed pipe which connects the fuel cell and the fuel tank. However, in order to ensure such safety for the fuel feed pipe, an increase in the weight of a vehicle is inevitable since it becomes necessary to provide a protector for the fuel feed pipe or increase the strength and rigidity of a panel surrounding the protector.
Also, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-149974, a structure has been proposed in which a fuel cell is disposed at a roof portion in order to increase safety for collisions from any direction. However, there is a disadvantage in this structure in that the weight balance of the vehicle tends to be disturbed since it becomes necessary to increase the rigidity of the roof.